Posts by GrreatTeacher

7

How Saturnalia became Christmas

by BoogerMan in

jw
friends

the transition from ancient to present and pagan to christian: .

4th century ce, after which a new winter holiday began to be celebrated in rome: christmas.

but how was the pagan festival of saturnalia celebrated, and how did it influence and morph into the christmas celebrations that we know and love?.

GrreatTeacher

Funny, as an elementary school teacher, the kids love the extra fun that comes at Christmas time.

When I worked in a Catholic school, we could have lots of fun, but the point was that baby Jesus was celebrating his birthday. Decorations fell along those lines. Nativity creches were common.

When I worked in public school, no nativity and no Jesus were allowed because of the separation or church and state in the US. We had lots of Santa and snowmen. We watched The Polar Express the last day of school before Winter break. We studied other celebrations like Hannukah and Kwanzaa. We were allowed to put up Christmas trees in the classroom. I usually bought giant snowflakes to hang from the ceiling. I made sure my kids had little bags of goodies like pencils, stickers, bouncing balls, candy, etc. And we had a little party with games. My kids lived in poverty and that might be all they got so I tried to make it festive before they left for the week or so of Winter Break.

43

Hip replacement on Monday. Wish me luck.

by GrreatTeacher in

as the title says i'm having a total hip replacement on monday.

the pain has grown over the years and now i'm using a cane to walk.

after steroid injections and physical therapy, it was decided that a total hip replacement is appropriate.

GrreatTeacher

LV101, I actually asked the surgeon to see the implant and it is a metal monstrosity. There was a spiky part at the end with a notch in it and my husband asked the doctor what that was for. I knew. I told him that the spike went into the leg bone and the notch was the place where the hammer hits it. The doctor said I was correct! I've gotten a lot more sympathy from him since then! Thank you for the good wishes.

43

Hip replacement on Monday. Wish me luck.

by GrreatTeacher in

as the title says i'm having a total hip replacement on monday.

the pain has grown over the years and now i'm using a cane to walk.

after steroid injections and physical therapy, it was decided that a total hip replacement is appropriate.

GrreatTeacher

Birbie, thank you for the good wishes! I've had quite a unique experience with refusing blood transfusions that make me sure I will get one if I need one. My parents nearly died in a serious car accident. My father's entire pelvis was shattered and he needed to hang around the hospital for 5 days in pain before they could arrange a bloodless surgery instead of getting the emergency surgery he needed. Needless suffering and poorer result. My mother had a head injury with a terrible concussion and much blood loss. She had a terrible time healing because she didn't have enough blood cells to heal her body. It stretched her recovery out several months and she could have been well in a few weeks. Needless suffering and still has concussion symptoms today. Also they were both recovering and couldn't take care of each other. Needless burden on their kids for months. And the Hospital Liason Committee swarmed like vultures at the hospital, having them sign paperwork. They were there not as support, but as enforcers. I've washed my hands of it. They have the right to make their own medical decisions, even if they're terrible, but they should consider the terrible witness they were giving to everyone in the medical community. I thanked the doctors and nurses for saving their lives despite themselves.

But, beyond that, thank you sincerely for your good wishes and I hope to check in within a few days with very good news!

SeaBreeze, you're a dear. Thank you!

Listener, good advice. I am doing everything they are asking including going off ibuprofen a week in advance, using an antibiotic ointment in my nostrils 5 days in advance and showering with Hibiclens antibacterial soap (and staying soaped up for 10 minutes!) the morning before, the evening before and the morning of my surgery. I also have to drink 10 ounces of Gatorade 4 hours before my surgery and I just found out my arrival time is 6:30 am to a hospital 30 minutes away! I guess I'll be getting up at 2:30 am to drink it and won't be getting a good night's sleep. But, I am following ALL the directions! I'm listening, Listener!

43

Hip replacement on Monday. Wish me luck.

by GrreatTeacher in

as the title says i'm having a total hip replacement on monday.

the pain has grown over the years and now i'm using a cane to walk.

after steroid injections and physical therapy, it was decided that a total hip replacement is appropriate.

GrreatTeacher

Ron W., nice to hear about your golfing clients. I don't golf, but it sure would be nice to even take a walk around the neighborhood. I see the daily dog walkers out the front window and I'm very, very jealous!

Peacefulpete, I WILL just do it! Looking forward to PT.

TonusOH, I never thought I'd need a new hip at 52, but after trying everything else, it just came down to either accepting my diminished life or getting out there and LIVING with gusto. You'll know when.

43

Hip replacement on Monday. Wish me luck.

by GrreatTeacher in

as the title says i'm having a total hip replacement on monday.

the pain has grown over the years and now i'm using a cane to walk.

after steroid injections and physical therapy, it was decided that a total hip replacement is appropriate.

GrreatTeacher

Vanderhoven, thank you. If not Tuesday then maybe a little later in the week!

43

Hip replacement on Monday. Wish me luck.

by GrreatTeacher in

as the title says i'm having a total hip replacement on monday.

the pain has grown over the years and now i'm using a cane to walk.

after steroid injections and physical therapy, it was decided that a total hip replacement is appropriate.

GrreatTeacher

Titch, glad to hear you are doing well!

I'm (only) 52, so I'm not expecting complications or difficulties based on age. More worried that given my age and the amount of disability that we've missed something and when they get in there it's not just osteoarthritis but something else going on. Also, will I last longer than the implant? My doctor said about 20 to 25 years, so will I need a new one at age 78?

Otherwise, yes, your experience sounds like what I've been prepped for. About 90 minutes in surgery, will be up, moving and in PT the day of the surgery. I was offered same day discharge, but I opted to spend a night which is usual for my surgeon. My insurance has agreed to pay (probably the biggest hurdle) and I'd prefer to transition out of anesthesia and into oral meds before going home. When my husband had spinal surgery he had some complications and ended up having to spend a week in the hospital, so that is my experience with surgery so I'm a little reticent.

If I can do it with only ibuprofen, I will. My hip is not the only pain I have and right now everything hurts so I'm missing it! When I go in to register we will discuss a pain relief plan. Thank you for the caution on narcotics. I've been through that with my husband and am very familiar with them.

I'm so glad to hear it was so easy for you! I can't wait to get up and DO things again!

43

Hip replacement on Monday. Wish me luck.

by GrreatTeacher in

as the title says i'm having a total hip replacement on monday.

the pain has grown over the years and now i'm using a cane to walk.

after steroid injections and physical therapy, it was decided that a total hip replacement is appropriate.

GrreatTeacher

As the title says I'm having a total hip replacement on Monday. The pain has grown over the years and now I'm using a cane to walk.

After steroid injections and physical therapy, it was decided that a total hip replacement is appropriate. Ibuprofen was keeping me somewhat functional but now I'm off of that for the week before surgery so as not to cause excessive bleeding. I hurt really bad right now!

I have a walker ready for after surgery. I've cleared the floors and made sure there's clear walkways between bed, toilet, and kitchen. I bought a new recliner that's firmer and sits taller than the old one my husband bought for his back surgery in 2012.

Anyone been through this before and survived to tell about it? Any advice? I'm told I'll be using a Walker for 2 weeks, then transition back to a cane. I'll be feeling really good after 6 weeks. Do you think this is accurate?

I like my surgeon. I'm having it done in a facility that's part of the University of Maryland health system. And, most importantly, if I need blood, I will accept it! I'm intellectually confident, but still have some anxiety. I'm told that's normal.

Thank you all for the company. I don't post a lot, but I read a lot. If I don't check in again any time soon, have a nice Christmas and a happy new year.

GT

11

Article: Face of Co Kerry woman jailed for grooming and having sex with teenage boy

by Tahoe in

this is the first image of the convicted child groomer who confessed to her jehovah’s witness congregation that she groomed a boy from the age of 14 before having sex with him two years later.. .

perverted pamela lonergan, who went on to work in childcare settings and as a carer in the community, admitted four counts of defilement of a child under the age of 17.. the offences occurred at locations in kerry and cork in 2008 and 2009.. appearing before cork circuit court earlier this month, lonergan of treanmanagh, glenbeigh, co kerry, received a one year jail sentence for the offences.. speaking afterwards, one local said the community had been stunned to learn of lonergan’s abuse.. he said another neighbour had met lonergan on the road the week before the trial and she had told him she was moving up to cork for a while.. “ obviously she thought her name wasn’t going to be disclosed in the media,” he said.. “if the victim hadn’t waived his anonymity to allow this happen, she’ have come back here when she got out and we’d have been none the wiser.”.

cork circuit criminal court heard lonergan was 26 when she first started initiating contact with the minor, having met him in a social setting.

GrreatTeacher

The problem is that an adult found a 14 year old sexually appealing enough to begin grooming him. Well adjusted adults don't have those attractions.

This doesn't even allow for the Romeo and Juliet exclusions which are usually no more than 2 or 3 years difference in ages.

This fits the profile of women pedophiles who are attracted to minors. They tend to view it as a romance and feel justified in their behavior, not viewing it as being an Offender at all. Internet rabbit hole: Mary Kay Letournou was a teacher who began grooming her student and ended up marrying him. She was jailed but doesn't seem remorseful. He eventually divorced her realizing that hs had been groomed and abused.

And of course, a JW anecdote: an underage marriage, a very young pregnancy, and an affair between the 14 year old JW babysitter and the young mom. Disfellowshipping, divorce, and moving far away for all involved.

Best life ever!

46

What do you think?

by Tahoe in

.

GrreatTeacher

If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say no, it's not coming from above as any kind of policy, official or unofficial. In my estimation, policies from above don't liberalize anything. Look at the behavior of tantrumming CO's. They want more, more, more.

I think this might be a phenomenon that's actually rising from the bottom up. People have had a break in their indoctrination via Covid. No door to door and no physical meetings. Remember that successful indoctrination needs to keep you too busy to really think deeply about it.

There's also an element of the person putting much physical effort into it that creates a kind of self indoctrination by means of the Sunk Cost fallacy: "I've put too much of my life into this to give up now. I've given my best years of blood, sweat and tears. I need to stick around for the payoff."

But during the Covid closures, even the most faithful were not going door to door. They were not giving up hours to drive to the hall and back to attend meetings. Some were not getting dressed up in meeting clothes, especially after they just Zoomed in with cameras off. There was finally enough time away to think a little, and maybe more importantly to get accustomed to and enjoy a much freer life.

So, in my opinion, Covid broke the Cult. From the bottom up. No wonder the Org is angry and desperate. They're used to having control from the top down. But, the cat has been let out of the bag and the old pussycat ain't going back in anytime soon.

That's why one "brother" spoke to ThomasMore and that's why I predict more to follow. The brothers have simply finally heard the sound of their consciences and are listening to them.

46

What do you think?

by Tahoe in

.

GrreatTeacher

ThomasMore,

That "unshunning" is virtually unheard of.

In my opinion it's an excellent sign that something is indeed unraveling in Watchtower Land.